AP Environmental Science FRQ three questions, data and design.
Section II of the AP Environmental Science exam is three free-response questions in 90 minutes, worth 40% of your score. One is calculation-heavy. A calculator is allowed. Here is the format, what each question asks, and how to keep the easy points.
The format at a glance
APES gives you three long questions, each with a different focus.
What each question asks
The three questions are predictable, so you can rehearse the structure of each.
What it tests
Content spans ecosystems and biodiversity, populations, land and water use, energy resources, pollution, and global change. The reading often centers on a real scenario, such as a power plant or a watershed, and asks you to reason about trade-offs.
Where students lose points
How to practice
Run the College Board released AP Environmental Science free-response questions, and write out every calculation with units the way the scoring guidelines expect. Save a calculation-heavy question for a timed rep. When you have a raw count, the AP Environmental Science score calculator projects your 1–5.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers — written by humans, not a chatbot.
How many FRQs are on the AP Environmental Science exam?
Three, in 90 minutes, worth 40% of your total score. One of the three is calculation-heavy.
Can I use a calculator on the APES FRQ?
Yes. A four-function calculator with a square-root key is allowed on the entire AP Environmental Science exam.
What are the three APES FRQ types?
Designing an investigation, analyzing a problem and proposing a solution, and a solution question that requires calculations.